Where this becomes relevant: at most (and only if smart enough), the executive section of the politics (the govts) might be interested in simplifing the laws - targeting lower cost of enforcement and (possible) higher amount of taxes resulting from a swifter/more flexible economy...

Strangely, not every country has a system of government that is identical to the USA. In the UK, there is not the same separation between executive branch and legislative branch, because the executive (civil service etc.) is ultimately controlled by the Prime Minister, who is the leader of the largest party in the House of Commons. The equivalent of cabinet secretaries all either have a seat in the House of Commons or (rarely) the House of Lords. Civil servants under the purview of the ministers write most laws.

On the other hand, "Yes Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister" (written by someone well connected to a former Minister) suggests what little control the politicians have and how much the civil servants are able to exercise their own will.

Blocking TBP would push encryption and privacy into the public conciousness and millions more people would start caring about it. It would be a disaster for Big Brother.

Being in a country (NL) where TPB is blocked by two major providers, I can tell you that no such thing has occurred on any notable scale.

What did happen?1. Outrage at forums and news sites.2. Questions of how to get around the blockade.3. Answers providing many methods to get 'around' the blockade, none of which require encryption or privacy-enhancing methods, really. Sure, TOR has been suggested, but TOR is cumbersome.4. Further answers pointing out alternatives, including 'news' servers.5. Outrage? What outrage? Oh, The Pirate Beach? Yeah, I vaguely remember that irrelevant site. *goes back to watching recent episode of popular U.S. show downloaded from news server*

And yet the UK has a fraction of the murder rate of the U.S. despite having a more urbanised population. 125 murders in Metropolitan London last year - a densely populated urban region with population of around 13 million with 5000 people per square km. Compare that to U.S. cities! 620 murders in the entire UK for a population of 62 million people. The majority of British people think gun control is a great idea.